污言秽语 (wū yán huì yǔ) — filthy speech; obscene language; vulgar words

Definition

A four-character idiom meaning obscene or vulgar language — coarse, profane words used in speech. It is a written, literary term, stronger than the everyday 脏话.

idiom

filthy speechobscene languagevulgar words

Examples

污言秽语，。
Tā zài wǎng shàng fā biǎo le hěn duō wū yán huì yǔ, bèi guǎn lǐ yuán jìn yán le.
He posted a lot of filthy speech online and was banned by the moderator.
污言秽语，。
Zhè zhǒng wū yán huì yǔ shí zài bù kān rù ěr, wǒ men huàn gè huà tí ba.
This kind of filthy language is really unbearable; let's change the subject.
污言秽语，。
Wén míng shè huì yīng gāi dǐ zhì wū yán huì yǔ, tí chàng lǐ mào yòng yǔ.
A civilized society should resist filthy speech and promote polite language.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

污言dirty words

污wūdirty言yánwords

偏正Modifier + head

秽语obscene speech

秽huìfilthy语yǔspeech

偏正Modifier + head

污言 means dirty words and 秽语 means obscene speech, giving filthy speech.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 汙; 污 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

于

于yú汙wū

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 汙 pairs 水 (water) with 于 for the sound; the simplified 污 is a later shorthand.

Open 污 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early form of 言 shows an opening and a mark indicating a location; the location is not described as the source of speech.

Open 言 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 穢; 秽 is its simplified writing.

禾歲穢

Meaning part形符xíngfú

禾禾hégrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

歲

歲suì穢⁰huì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 穢 pairs 禾 (grain) with 歲, which gave the sound; the simplified 秽 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 秽 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

言吾語

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yán

Sound part声符shēngfú

吾

吾wú語yǔ

Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →